NJ High School Football Player Dies After Being Hurt In Game
WASHINGTON, N.J. (CBSNewYork/AP) -- A New Jersey high school football player has died after suffering an injury on the field.
Warren Hills Regional High School quarterback Evan Murray died after being injured in a game Friday night. A statement from interim Superintendent Gary Bowen on Saturday called the school community "deeply saddened.''
"Last night we experienced a tragedy in the loss of student athlete Evan Murray following an injury during the Summit-Warren Hills football game," Bowen said in the statement on the district's website. "We are deeply saddened and sincerely appreciate the support and caring of our close-knit greater Warren Hills community."
Murray was a three-sport athlete at Warren Hills and had been the football team's starting quarterback for three years.
School officials did not say how he was hurt. Authorities said an autopsy was planned.
Those who attended the game said the teen walked off the field on his own after taking a hit in the backfield late in the second quarter. A short time later, he apparently collapsed.
"He was in the game and took a hit and walked off the field, then was taken by ambulance. Beyond that, nobody seems to know," said Father Guy Selvester, with St. Joseph Catholic Church.
The team's coach spoke with CBS2's Steve Langford off camera and said in his 35 years of coaching, he's never seen something like this happen.
Asked if it was a tragic accident, he declined to comment, but added that his thoughts and prayers are with the Murray family, Langford reported.
At the family's home, police protection was offered for a family in grieving. The football team's logo still adorning the driveway entrance.
Neighbors too, are heartbroken.
"I'm very, very upset," said one woman.
On Saturday, coaches, students and community members gathered at the school's football field for a memorial.
The memorial featured a letter from the teen's girlfriend, that read in part "Thank you for being the love of my life."
"Evan was a great leader. He was a class act kid," said Murray's baseball coach Mike Quinto.
Quinto said everyone marveled at the star athlete's excellence in football, basketball and baseball, but that he will be remembered for much more.
"The young gentleman that he was. Not just an athlete, but the person that he was, it was more important than the athlete he was. He carried himself well everywhere he went. That's the key thing about him," Quinto said. "And also how much all the kids loved him."
"I can't comprehend what happened,'' said one parent.
Taylor Coughlin, a 16-year-old junior at the school, told The (Easton) Express-Times that Murray was "an amazing student and an amazing athlete. He stood out in his athletics, his academics -- everything.''
"A lot of people were in disbelief and didn't want to believe it,'' Coughlin added.
Gov. Chris Christie offered his condolences in a tweet, saying "On behalf of all the people of New Jersey, Mary Pat and I send our heartfelt thoughts and prayers to the Murray family on the loss of Evan."
On behalf of all the people of New Jersey, Mary Pat and I send our heartfelt thoughts and prayers to the Murray family on the loss of Evan.
— Governor Christie (@GovChristie) September 26, 2015
A web-based fundraising drive has already been started for the teen's family.
"I was just talking with a man who said 'I believe God is in charge but I certainly have some questions for him about why things like this have to happen,'" said Father Selvester.
The district is making grief counselors available to students at the high school.
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